Whole Body Cleanse when Your Body Can't Do it Alone

Helping your body cleanse is similar to supporting your body for weight loss or any health issue like blood sugar and cardiovascular health. The body has cleanse functions that rely on the right diet and lifestyle practices so the system remains clear and healthy. Promoting the body's ability to naturally cleanse and detoxifify is the mission of my SpringClean-Cleanse website and course.

You body is meant to cleanse and detoxify, that's for sure.  And it is possible to support the process with the right diet, supplements and complementary therapies.

A whole body cleanse can help you lose weight, look younger, feel more energetic and get healthier. But just like any other health plan or diet, you get out of it what you put into it.

Body cleansing is more popular than ever and because of that you can find more companies, health promoters and even doctors that have their own version of cleansing supplements or programs.

But still some people wonder if we really need to help our bodies or not. When a doctor or skeptic claims our organs do all the work of detoxification so we don't have to do anything else, they may be right - in a perfect world.

But we don't live in a perfect world. We are exposed to many processed foods, pesticides, environmental pollutions, and contaminated water, and our bodies have a hard time keeping up.

For just one example, consider this; the EPA currently allows amounts of the usual natural toxins and virus in our drinking water, but also added to our drinking water is chlorine, chlorite and bromates (all linked to cancer or illness). In addition to these you can find arsenic, barium, lead and cadmium (among other chemicals), and while some skeptics claim these are found in nature, they may be. But the ones described by the EPA are NOT natural but inorganic (manmade).(1)

Because of our modern lifestyles our bodies often do not function as optimally as they should.  Our liver is a main organ that should detoxify everything from excess fat to pesticides in our food and medicine. Sadly, it becomes quickly overburdened as it tries to keep up with the many pollutants, processed foods or even "healthy" foods that are not as healthy as we thought.

Processed Foods are Detrimental to Your Health

According to the Mayo Clinic, non-alcoholic fatty liver affects 80-100 million Americans, or 25% of our population.  The disease begins with too much fat in the liver and is increasingly common in Western nations.  Scientists claim to not know why some people accumulate too much fat in the liver while others don't, however, maybe looking at one's diet can help.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver is known to affect people who are obese, have high cholesterol or those with diabetes. But many who do not fit this profile are also affected, and the Liver Foundation admits it affects people with "no risk factors." (2)

This may be because eating junk foods and highly processed foods (like pizza, frozen meals, etc.) are not considered risk factors. But if you dig deeper, you can find that many diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver, are are linked to poor diets or lifestyle (often involving poor diet along with lack of exercise, etc.).

During filming of the movie, Supersize Me, 2004, filmmaker Morgan Spurlock's doctor told him to stop eating fast food because he was getting the fatty liver of an alcoholic. It was in normal range just one month before his fast-food experiment.

Body cleansing requires a well rounded program to get the full benefits; this means diet, supplements and even some body work (such as very light exercise or massage, etc.).  And diet is especially important if one has been eating a SAD diet for some time, or simply not paying attention to health.

A whole body cleanse program promotes healthy foods that help your body's natural cleansing process along with nutritional supplements to help you reach your cleansing goals quicker, often with less side effects.

Often we forget that nutritional supplements are exactly that, extra nutrition. In fact, some herbs may make the cleansing process easier by reducing cravings or helping your body more easily shrink fat cells that can contain harmful toxins. Other supplements might contain extra nutrition for your liver or kidneys to function more efficiently.

How Does a Whole Body Cleanse Work?

Diet, supplements and body work are used to assist your body's natural cleansing processes.   Eating foods that cleanse take the burden off of digestion because they are easier on your digestive system. 

Eating a lighter diet allows your body more time to metabolize waste and remove it, while supplements are condensed nutrition that provide what your organs need to work harder. Body work makes the process of eliminating waste easier.

This is the bare bones of any cleansing program. While this is the "cleanse," the reality is that your body and organs are doing the cleansing. These are the tools to help your body perform the function of cleansing.

The organs involved in cleansing are your liver, kidneys, small intestine, colon, lungs, lymph nodes and vessels and skin. A whole body cleanse might focus on the digestive tract (small intestine and colon) to ensure it is clear so that all other organs have a place to drain the toxins that they clear away.

TOXINS DO NEGATIVELY AFFECT HEALTH

One concern in modern times is that while dieting, toxins are released into the system from the fat cells. While health professionals in the holistic field have known this for decades, the medical and scientific community is just now addressing the concern. (3)

This may be because their organs are not as efficient as they were when they were younger or leaner. It is a biological fact that excess weight puts more pressure on internal organs. We only have so much room in our digestive tracts, and when we pack extra food, fat and fluid weight, our organs will have pressure put on them, cutting off blood flow and nutrients to the organ; in turn making it weaker.

But the extra nutrition used in a cleansing program is to help address this. Supplements can help fill in the nutritional gap as a person's body is adjusting to eating less. This can help the organs more easily process the toxins and help them move out.

While the scientific community is experimenting with a diet plan that has the client eating 4-6 small meals daily with protein (and nothing wrong with that), diet is never a one-size-fits-all program. We are many different people with various goals, needs and desires. Some are vegan, some are vegetarian while others may be pescatarian. The beauty of doing a whole body cleanse is that you can adjust your diet according to what your needs are.

While you have organs in place that detoxify and cleanse, your body still needs help.  And just like any other part of you, these organs can get over-loaded and sluggish. This means they slow down while internal waste builds up and causes fatigue, weight gain, and a myriad of other health issues.

During a whole body cleanse, what you do not eat is just as important as what you do eat.  Contrary to what some supplement companies may promote, your body cannot cleanse if you eat junk foods, highly processed foods, over eat or even eat too little.

By removing processed and unhealthy foods from your diet for a while, you will allow your digestion to rest and reset.  This will free it up so that your body systems can remove more waste, like it was meant to.

How to Begin Your Whole Body Cleanse

Start your whole body cleanse with a plan.  Write out your daily food plan so that you can shop accordingly and be ready to start.  Be sure to include mainly whole, organic fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds and sprouts.  Get rid of the junk food in your kitchen so it doesn't tempt you.  Be sure to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner and follow a healthy cleanse diet.

Avoid foods that contribute to health problem such as; fast foods, highly processed foods, white flours, foods high in sugar, sodas and alcohol.  

Include foods that can help your body cleanse, naturally. They will allow you to digest food quickly, helping your systems to reset. The fundamentals of a good cleansing diet will give your body some of the nutrition it needs to do the hard work of detoxing.

Some peole promote eating clean and simple. This means sticking to the basics mentioned above, with little room for sauces, dressings or condiments. While it is true these can add up, using some at the beginning of your program might help you stay on track.

Choose a supplement for your cleanse that focuses on clearing waste in the digestive tract and colon. This will ensure your system is open to allow other waste to leave. On the other hand, if this area is clogged in any way, toxins may get trapped here causing nausea, sickness and other ailments. If your toxic overload is too much, toxins might simply be reabsorbed into your blood stream or body, and while they were already there, you may feel them more if they are dislodged and on the move.

Don't forget to plan out your whole body cleanse. Planning meals helps you shop when you're motivated so you can stay on track. Planning your free time can be helpful to avoid temptations. Fill in these spots with a walk, hike, catch up with an old friend at lunch or on the phone, or see a movie. Planning helps you see your goals, and most people claim to stick to their plans better when they have them written out so they can remind themselves throughout the day.

Whole Body Cleanse and Nutritional Supplements

As mentioned above, a colon cleanse supplement should be in your "core" plan. But you can also include more specific nutritional supplements to help reach certain goals.  Nutritional supplements are often part of a body detox because they can make cleansing easier.  While different supplements have different functions, choose yours according to what your needs are.

For example, nutritional weight loss supplements may help by reducing cravings or helping your body more easily shrink fat cells that might contain harmful toxins. Supplements that are standard for a whole body cleanse include fiber, essential fatty acids and even seaweeds or grasses (wheat grass or barley grass) that may help remove environmental toxins.  You don't need the most expensive, but those that are very cheap may not have the best quality ingredients, leaving them ineffective.

Certain types of bodywork may be used during a body cleanse to ease side-effects including; nausea, headaches or fatigue.  While many types of bodywork exist that may help, what you use can be determined by a number of factors like price or necessity.

Acupuncture is promoted to open up blockages to help waste or "bad energy" move out.  Massage is great for athletes or anyone with sore muscles; not only can it help you recover but it may help tone skin while increasing circulation and move toxins out quicker.  Some people may prefer a body wrap to sweat out the toxins. There are many other types of body work that can help expedite a cleanse. Check your insurance, see what's in your area and treat yourself!

Related Articles;

6 Surprising Benefits of Whole Body Cleansing - when done right, you can reap the benefits without spending a lot of money

Weight Loss Cleansing - when diets fail, many turn to clean eating and healthy living to help shed pounds naturally

6 Successful Weight Loss Tips - The holistic, natural and healthy way to lose weight

REFERENCES:

(1) National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. (2018, March 22). Retrieved April 23, 2019, from https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations

(2) The Facts About Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. (2018, March 15). Retrieved April 23, 2019, from https://liverfoundation.org/the-facts-about-non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease/

(3) Diet helps shed pounds, release toxins and reduce oxidative stress. (2017, January 11). Retrieved April 23, 2019, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170111184102.htm